How Do You Determine Rotational Invariance in a Two-Fermion System?

jjohnson
Messages
4
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


Screen Shot 2016-01-27 at 4.34.21 PM.png


Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


I suppose to determine if a hamiltonian is rotational invariant, we check if [H(1),L^2], however, I am not sure how to do it if the hamiltonian is operate on a two particle wave function.
Is it just to evaluate [S1z Z2 +S2z Z1, L1^2+L2^2]?

What is the ground state wave function for this system?
I suppose it is

A (|0,1,1/2,-1/2> - |0,1,-1/2,1/2>), if you apply S1z, you get 0. It is also true for S2z. I think I am just lost here.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
The rotation operator in this system will be associated with the angular momentum operator ##J^z = L_1^z + S_1^z + L_2^z + S_2^z##. To check if the perturbation alters the rotation invariant of the system, calculate the commutation ##[H^{(1)},J^z]##.
 
blue_leaf77 said:
The rotation operator in this system will be associated with the angular momentum operator ##J^z = L_1^z + S_1^z + L_2^z + S_2^z##. To check if the perturbation alters the rotation invariant of the system, calculate the commutation ##[H^{(1)},J^z]##.

Thank you fore replying.
How should I reprent ## L_z ##? is it ## XP_y - YP_x ##? Get r in spherical coordinate using raising and lowering operator and projection z axis? seems like a lot of work.
 
jjohnson said:
is it ##XP_y - YP_x## ?
Yes. ##L_z## is the orbital angular momentum of one of the fermions.
jjohnson said:
Get r in spherical coordinate using raising and lowering operator and projection z axis?
That's too much than needed. Just plug in each expression for ##H^{(1)}## and ##J_z## into the commutator ##[H^{(1)},J_z]##. It should be simple if you use the property of commutator between angular momentum and position.
 
Thread 'Need help understanding this figure on energy levels'
This figure is from "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" by Griffiths (3rd edition). It is available to download. It is from page 142. I am hoping the usual people on this site will give me a hand understanding what is going on in the figure. After the equation (4.50) it says "It is customary to introduce the principal quantum number, ##n##, which simply orders the allowed energies, starting with 1 for the ground state. (see the figure)" I still don't understand the figure :( Here is...
Thread 'Understanding how to "tack on" the time wiggle factor'
The last problem I posted on QM made it into advanced homework help, that is why I am putting it here. I am sorry for any hassle imposed on the moderators by myself. Part (a) is quite easy. We get $$\sigma_1 = 2\lambda, \mathbf{v}_1 = \begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix} \sigma_2 = \lambda, \mathbf{v}_2 = \begin{pmatrix} 1/\sqrt{2} \\ 1/\sqrt{2} \\ 0 \end{pmatrix} \sigma_3 = -\lambda, \mathbf{v}_3 = \begin{pmatrix} 1/\sqrt{2} \\ -1/\sqrt{2} \\ 0 \end{pmatrix} $$ There are two ways...
Back
Top